Abstract
The rheological properties of a carboxymethylated (D.S. ≈ 0.1) nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) were investigated at different solid contents. The critical overlap concentration was determined to be in the range between 0.04 and 0.07 % (w/w) using shear stress versus shear rate measurements. From the critical overlap concentration using the simple Mason excluded volume formalism, the apparent aspect ratio was estimated to be 75 [at a critical overlap concentration of 0.04 % (w/w)]. The aspect ratio of the NFC system was also estimated by using the Einstein–Simha equation together with the intrinsic viscosity value of the system (corrected for the electroviscous effects). The obtained value was found to be around 80, which is in good agreement with the value obtained from the excluded volume calculation. Further, by combining oscillatory measurements and the equation of Shankar et al. the apparent fibril length was determined to be 4 µm. As the production of NFC through homogenization occurs at concentrations far above the critical overlap concentration an NFC-gel is constituted by a severely entangled structure. The disentanglement of the fibrils is therefore difficult and the employed dilution method was found not to lead to fully liberated nanofibrils, which was also indicated by atomic force microscopy-imaging.
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Notes
The strain value was measured to be within the linear viscoelastic region of the systems; results not shown.
The turbidity of the samples was measured by a 2100P Portable Turbidimeter (Hach, USA).
Serial coupled Z-shaped interaction chambers with the diameters of 200 and 100 µm were used.
Assuming AR ≈ 100 and using Eq. 2, a c 0 value in the order of 0.01 % (w/w) is obtained.
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Ann-Marie Runebjörk, Åsa Blademo, and Åsa Engström are thanked for their competent supporting work. Billerud-Korsnäs, Borregaard, De la Rue, Hansol, Holmen, Kemira, Korsnäs, Metsä Group, Stora Enso, Södra, UPM, and Evergreen Packaging are acknowledged for their financial support.
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Naderi, A., Lindström, T. & Pettersson, T. The state of carboxymethylated nanofibrils after homogenization-aided dilution from concentrated suspensions: a rheological perspective. Cellulose 21, 2357–2368 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-014-0329-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-014-0329-9